Baltimore County businessperson Jeffrey Nattans was a ‘larger-than-life’ champion for students

Jeffrey Nattans, a Baltimore County-based businessperson and philanthropist, tended to be pretty busy most days.

But his countless meetings and work events never stopped him from supporting his family and friends — he was known to those who loved him as someone who would show up no matter what.

“He found a way every time to be there for his family,” said his son, Spencer Nattans, 25, who lives in Florida. “In some instances or rooms, he could’ve been perceived as a larger-than-life-type figure, but for me he was just dad. And a really great one at that.”

Jeffrey “Jeff” Allen Nattans, a certified public accountant and partner at Black Diamond Financial, died suddenly in his sleep on Sept. 2. He was 59.

He was born in Baltimore on Feb. 3, 1967, and grew up with two brothers in a brick rowhome on Putty Hill Avenue in Towson. He was raised by his father, Brig. Gen. Arthur Joseph “Joe” Nattans Sr.; his mother, Linda H. Nattans; and his stepmother, Donna Nattans.

He attended Calvert Hall College High School, where he earned a reputation as a gifted athlete. He played soccer, basketball and baseball, earning multiple state titles, and graduated in 1985.

He went on to play Division I basketball and soccer at Loyola University Maryland and received several academic awards for student-athletes, including the Northeast Conference 1988-89 Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He graduated summa cum laude in 1989.

Nattans, whom his teammates and friends nicknamed “Goose,” briefly played professional soccer with the Maryland Bays in the American Professional Soccer League, the predecessor to Major League Soccer. He retired from soccer in 1990 and spent the rest of his career in finance, with stints at Goldman Sachs, Legg Mason and Sagamore Ventures. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1996.

Nattans was also a devoted member of several educational boards. He chaired the board of trustees at Calvert Hall and was a trustee of Loyola University Maryland and Catholic Charities of Baltimore. Nattans and his wife of nearly 28 years, Karen Thomas Nattans, established scholarship funds at his high school and college to provide financial aid to gifted students. Jeff and Karen Nattans were college sweethearts at Loyola.

Part of his passion for educational philanthropy came from his own experiences, his son noted.

“He went through high school, college and his MBA on scholarships and he wanted to help do that for other people,” Spencer Nattans said. “He always operated under a pay-it-forward mindset, which helped endear him to a lot of people.”

Nattans was “a great ambassador” to Loyola, said Brian Oakes, the university’s vice president for advancement.

“Jeff didn’t just come to the board meetings, sit with that crowd and head out,” Oakes said. “He really took the time to get to know the students in the classroom and on the sports field. I think he probably didn’t realize how much he inspired them.”

In 2024, Oakes, Nattans and the rest of the university’s board of trustees embarked on the Ignatian pilgrimage, tracing the footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, through Spain and Italy.

“I really had the opportunity to experience Jeff’s genuine interest in learning more about Saint Ignatius and his impact on the world,” Oakes remembered. “I was really moved by his commitment to his faith. You could almost see it shaping him even more.”

When he wasn’t working or volunteering, Nattans enjoyed feeding the horses near his home in Phoenix, Maryland, watching every Ravens home game with his family in Section 141, and Michelob Ultra served over ice.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate his life with the Nattans family at Ruck Towson Funeral Home on Sept. 17 from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated the following day at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen and will be followed by a reception in McGuire Hall at Loyola University Maryland.

The family is asking for donations to the Nattans Family Scholarship Funds at Loyola University Maryland or Calvert Hall College High School.

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